Lori Ryan

Rachel Thompson

Aicha Zoubair

Saturday, December 20, 2014

At the Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc., 2013, Patrick Rothfuss (bestselling author of The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’s Fear) suggested writing sex scenes can be difficult. Someone asked, “How do you know when a scene is too much.”

Rothfuss
said when the reader can tell the author was touching himself or
herself while creating the scene, it’s probably too much.

If
I remember correctly, this was something he had heard before, so I
don’t know if I can quote him, but the point remains valid. In science
fiction, the expectations differ from that of a romance or erotic novel.
Breaking the rules can alienate or even offend readers. Ultimately,
each scene must do a job. If a dash of something beyond the genre-wall
is needed, then it must go in.

A Humble Example

To
date, I have not attempted to write erotica, but some of my stories
have moments, ahem, that are more adult than others. To compound the
risks I took in this novel, one of the genre-testers comes on page one.
Here is the opening line from an early draft of Enemy of Man:

KIN
ROLAND left Laura’s house hung-over, well sexed, and feeling dirty. He
was bound by few rules on this planet, but the most important was to
avoid drinking with Laura Keen.

An Editor Put on the Brakes

My
editor thought this risked giving the reader the wrong idea. Unable to
completely abandon the scene I envisioned, I rewrote page one many
times. Here is the result:

HEROES
weren’t sealed in space caskets and launched into the void—not while
they were still breathing. Kin shuddered. Memories came at night; they
came with regrets, fears, and nightmares only a man buried alive could
understand. Heroes destroyed the enemy. Heroes saved the day and died
before they could wear medals or explain what it was like to shed the
blood of millions.

This room is too dark.

Kin
needed to go outside and look at the sky, but the wormhole song, the
distant groaning of a universe unraveling, reminded him of
Hellsbreach—gunfire, plasma bolts, and nuclear explosions on the
horizon. Better to dream of Becca, though she was the reason he
volunteered for the campaign.

“Stop thinking of her,” Laura said.

Kin
sat up in bed, dropped his feet to the floor, and watched her drift
back to sleep. Her chest rose and fell, a silk sheet accentuating her
curves. Her eyes began to move under her eyelids.

“You
don’t even know who she is.” He ran a finger behind Laura’s ear and
down her neck until she giggled in her sleep. He smiled. “I can share
anything with you in moments like these.” He slowly pulled the sheet
lower and she didn’t stir.

Laura
would like the game—exposing her skin to the night air and staring
until she sensed his attention and awoke, but he stopped, reaching to
cup the side of her face instead. Lust didn’t mix well with the darkness
still in his mind.

“I’d fail again, given the same choice. Could you commit genocide, Laura?” he asked.

“Hmm?”
She struggled to open her eyes, it seemed, but pushed him clumsily away
with one hand as she rolled onto her stomach, twisting the sheets as
she moved.

“I still love her. You know that, right?” Kin said.

Motionless
on the bed, Laura seemed not to breathe. The wormhole that dipped into
the atmosphere quieted. Silence spread across the planet. Sea birds
called to each other and waves gently touched the beach.

Let’s Talk about

This
may not be a classic love scene, but is an example of something
different from most science fiction I’ve read. The boundaries between
genres seem to fade with each passing year. It’s a good thing. Like most
writers, I read far and wide, and hope some of it finds its way into my
stories.

I’d
love to hear comments and discussion on breaking genre boundaries.
Please recommend books I may not have considered, but might like to
read. And, as always, I’m active on twitter at
https://twitter.com/Scottmoonwriter.

Lost Hero

Changed
by captivity and torture, hunted by the Reapers of Hellsbreach and
wanted by Earth Fleet, Kin Roland hides on a lost planet near an
unstable wormhole.When a distant space battle propels a ravaged Earth
Fleet Armada through the same wormhole, a Reaper follows, hunting for
the man who burned his home world. Kin fights to save a mysterious
native of Crashdown from the Reaper and learns there are worse things in
the galaxy than the nightmare hunting him. The end is coming and he is
about to pay for a sin that will change the galaxy forever.

Books

Enemy
of Man: Book One in the Chronicles of Kin Roland was written for fans
of military science fiction and science fiction adventure. Readers who
enjoyed Starship Troopers or Space Marines will appreciate this genre
variation. Powered armor only gets a soldier so far. Battlefield
experience, guts, and loyal friends make Armageddon fun.

Movies

If
you love movies like Aliens, Predator, The Chronicles of Riddick, or
Serenity, then you might find the heroes and creatures in Enemy of Man
dangerous, determined, and ready to risk it all. It’s all about action
and suspense, with a dash of romance—or perhaps flash romance.

From the Author

Thanks for your interest in my novel, Enemy of Man. I hope you chose to read the book and enjoy every page. If you have already read Enemy of Man, how was it? Reviews are appreciated! Have a great day and be safe.